Update on food other than sandwiches and appetizers- Wow! Fantastic, authentic, I will reiterate unapologetically authentic- umami, flavors, textures. Pad Thai was well seasoned with umami flavors of fish sauce/dried shrimp, sugar and tamarind. Lots of peanuts and sambal chili paste, pressed tofu. Now that's how you make legit pad Thai. Salt and pepper fish - crispy well seasoned with white pepper, garlic, basil leaves, jalapeños and perfectly cooked onions and peppers. Pro-tip: if you are okay with fish sauce ask for a small bowl of Nuoc mam and pour over your rice. You will thank me later. read more

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Food was great. The spicy beef noodle soup was so tasty. Did take out and the soup, additions ( including jalapeños) and sauce additions were packed separately to your liking. I was able to eat half ( and be full) and enjoy the 2nd 1/2 the next day. I had driven by many times w/o stopping in. Parking can be tricky and inside is very casual. Read reviews and went in. Order was ready, cashier was friendly! I was confused at first when I ordered on line and didn't say Pho. But the soup noodles were the same and perfect. Can't wait to try more menu items! read more

Really enjoyed our dinner here! We had Wonton Veggie Pho which was so delicious! The chicken potstickers were also very good. The Kung pow chicken and noodles were spicy and just the way we like it! Good came out hot and fresh and portions were great! We will be coming back for sure. read more

I'd been coming here for years now and I'd say the best Pho around town. The broth is authentic and the noodles are perfectly cooked. I always get the pho with sliced beef and beef-balls and it's great. Serving is huge! My wife always get the pho with chicken in bones. It's delicious too! She can't finish and take home half of it. Ordering is from the counter the they will deliver to your table. Simple place with several tables inside and outside. No loud music, which is good. Also get a discount when you pay in cash. Plenty of parking space too. I give 4 stars because they start charging for to-go plastic containers :) read more

Asian Express - Pho with bone-in chicken. - Vietnamese Near Me - Capitola, California

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All around excellent! Food is awesome! Employees are very nice! Great Boba too! I love the chicken pad Thai, pork Bahn mi and the pickled vegetables read more

New to town and this was my first meal. I come from SoCal and our Vietnamese food, I will say in some bias, is a lot more flavorful. But, I prefer clean flavors compared to something that stays in my mouth long after. This place hit exactly that spot, if you're looking for a quick, tasty, hot meal! Staff is friendly and fast. I have been told to try their Bahn Mi though. read more

Asian Express - Pad Thai - Vietnamese Near Me - Capitola, California

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Food: 3/5 Pho was ok, nice portion, flavor was mediocre. Always great during a cold day. The trip color dessert was also ok, a bit too much coconut milk for my liking. Service: 4/5 Gentleman at register was very quick and accommodating. Very nice service. Ambiance: 2/5 Not the greatest, needs a little care, seats had holes and tape. Definitely needs some minor upgrades. read more

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I always get the #8 beef ball noodle soup. If there's no line, it literally comes out in 5 mins. I really appreciate the staff, always so kind. Lots of to-go business here so order ahead if you think you're short on time. Otherwise, dine in in one of their booths or tables. There are two outdoor picnic tables outside. They have pho, fried rice, stir fry, bahn mi sandwiches, and more! And they have boba. I'm always comfortable eating here even when dining alone. Delicious! read more

Asian Express - Thai tea (no boba, my preference today) & #8 beef noodle soup (comes with bean sprouts, lime, jalapeños, basil and cilantro on the side). - Vietnamese Near Me - Capitola, California

I like their pho. Their food felt fresh delicious and healing when I thought I was coming down with a cold and someone ordered their food. The delivery arrived promptly was well packaged and everything that was needed came in the order including napkins and cutlery. There were no missing items. I haven't eaten in the restaurant, but I keep thinking about it. Maybe it would be five stars, might have to update this review later.If I ever go in there. read more

I ordered a Vietnamese tofu with vegetables vermicelli dish and was given something completely different. Usually these come with sauce on side, fresh carrots and cucumber, etc. but what I got was some a slop of noodles and sauce mixed with essentially a bad American stir fry. I called the restaurant 2x about a refund or resolving this and was told the manager Ahn would call me back. Not only did they not call me back (they "forgot"), they refused to speak to me on the phone. No offer of new food or anything! I had to call the online platform that processed the order before the manager acknowledged the call and finally offered to replace the food. Below is picture of what I got vs what the restaurant might typically serve for a fried vermicelli bowl (from their customers' picture). The cost of this was $17+ just after tax! read more

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Banh mi was delicious and the flavors were perfect, for $10 it was HUGE! Better than a lot of banh mi I have had from San Jose.

Thr real deal. Fantastic flavors at this surprisingly fast and authentic hole-in-the wall establishment. The facade, signage and interior belay a nondescript Asian fast food joint bit the food and service are golden! We had Pho Ga, the traditional Chicken noodle soups and it was served within minutes piping hot from the bustling open kitchen. The "small" was generously portioned for 2 with an flavorful authentic broth and generous chicken pieces. The Shrimp Fresh Rice Paper Rolls were delicious with 3 rolls included in 1 order. Good value for money! The service was quick, welcoming and helpful, even offering to package leftovers for takeaway. read more

Asian Express - Vietnamese Near Me - Capitola, California

I usually pick up a banh mi sandwich their bread is crispy on the outside but soft on the inside. With the cold weather I was craving something different so I got the lollipop wonton soup the person I was ordering from made sure to tell me it was spicy, yum! I picked it up to go. The liquid was in a plastic container and bagged to prevent spillage, the noodles and veggies were in a foldable container. Everything was bagged and ready when I got there. The portion was big enough to split into two servings!! 10/10 recommend, will definitely be going back! read more

Asian Express - Lollipop wonton soup - Vietnamese Near Me - Capitola, California

My partner and I stopped here on a road trip to grab some caffeine and a bite to eat. We got lychee iced tea, a Thai milk tea, and pork fresh rolls. The teas were yummy and refreshing, but the fresh rolls were incredible! The menu says 2 pieces but it's 2 HUGE rolls cut in half. They absolutely do not skimp on the pork, each roll having a large full piece of pork inside, ensuring pork with every bite. I really appreciated this as most other places I have been to instead do smaller, fattier pieces of pork. We ordered to-go so I can't speak too much on the service, but our food and drinks came out fast, even with a handful of other customers. Absolutely hit the spot before heading back on the road! read more

Smoothie was good , I got the sesame chicken chow mein. Interesting sesame chicken sauce not your traditional flavor, I personally wouldn't get it again, but it wasn't horrible. Chow mein cost extra and it was overcooked mushy, and barely had any veggies in it. read more

Asian Express - Sesame chicken chow mein and strawberry smoothie - Vietnamese Near Me - Capitola, California

Found a hair in my food I ordered to-go:( Food itself is okay. Decent service! I'm not inclined to return because of the hair though. read more

Fire sandwiches. Have not tried the soup yet but they look good. I asked for extra veggies and meat on the pork and it was a fat sando. I definitely recommend read more

After coming here multiple times per week for months on end I have decided that they have the best pho in santa cruz/capitola. Their noodles are soft and the texture of the food is spot on. They have a great selection of boba drinks and entrees and I never leave here with an empty or unsatisfied belly. The staff is consistently pleasant and the turn around time for food is very quick. This is my go to lunch/dinner spot and I love supporting their business. p.s. beef pho with extra lime makes it soooo yummy! read more

Asian Express - strawberry milk tea with jelly and mango iced tea with jelly - Vietnamese Near Me - Capitola, California

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The service was amazing!! the workers are so funny, nice, and overall really welcoming not only that the food is amazing the flavors are soo good and I didn't even wait for more than 3 minutes till my food came out I really recommend this place if you're looking to try something new! read more

Asian Express - Pho, and bambi pork sandwhich - Vietnamese Near Me - Capitola, California

I have only tried noodle soups here a few times, and find them to be a satisfying meal Friendly service, reasonable prices, and good food. I will return. read more

Food was delicious! Quick and good service. Semi small eating area. I'll definitely be eating there my next visit to Capitola.

Yes! This place is awesome! Great blend of primarily Vietnamese food and some Chinese with counter service and a few tables to eat at. Lot's of Togo orders leave this place but we usually sit down and eat there. Although they cater to the Togo crowd, each dish is prepared to order, not scooped out of a pre-made pile. Always hot and fresh! Pho! Yes they have it and it's pretty damn good! My wife is Vietnamese and she says it the best this side of the hill. I love their fresh spring rolls with shrimp, very tasty. A tip though is don't order just one, they charge you $5.50 when an order of 3 is $8! I usually get a lunch or dinner plate. I have tried the Mongolian and broccoli beef and they were both great with fried rice. They also have boba tea! I usually get the Thai tea with boba to compliment my meal. This place has really impressed me for a bit divey looking place in a strip mall. I would have expected pre-made meh but got hot and fresh yes! read more

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The service is amazing! Super sweet folks. Food is so delicious and fresh so many different options!

While I haven't tried any of their entrees yet, I've frequented Asian Express many times while seeking out some boba in the area. Santa Cruz county has few shops that do boba but Asian Express is one of them. They offer a variety of milk teas and fruit smoothies that are accompanied by our favorite tapioca pearls. Everything from what I can tell is powdered and the tea quality here isn't the highest, but if you're looking for a sugary boba drink, then this can be your go-to spot. They also have non-dairy milk options although I can't 100% verify that the powders they use are completely vegan friendly. I would usually get their Honeydew Milk Tea with Boba ($6) and it would be a very satisfying drink. Definitely give them a shot if you want boba and maybe try some of the food out here too if you're feeling hungry. read more

Asian Express - Boba - Vietnamese Near Me - Capitola, California

I work in customer service, so I take writing reviews seriously since there are plenty of rude people. It was a cold, rainy evening, and we thought Asian food would be a decent option. We came here for dinner, and sure, they looked busy. So, I left my wife and her mom waiting in line while I went to grab a table. Then one of the staff had the nerve to ask me to move because some people with a bigger order needed it. Fine, I didn't mind giving up the table, but come on--there were two other dirty tables right there! All they had to do was clean them up. I work nearby and have never tried their food before, and guess what? It won't be happening tonight. Eating Togo's read more

Came a little too close to closing (just right before 8pm) so we only had the take-out option which is not what we wanted, but we were hungry and just happy they were open (many things close around this time in this city--I think). I didn't like the way the take-out was packaged. The pho additions were once again in a regular square take-out box and the broth was filled to the top in a cylinder container. We are out-of-towners so we didn't have any big bowls or dishes to transfer the broth to, so we kind of did a dip thing with our pho until we could get the broth to go down to be able to accept the filling. Not ideal for eating pho. :-( I had the BBQ Duck-Wonton with Spicy Soup with noodle....--they only included one drumstick duck and it was dry and hard--my poor teeth--and shrunken. I felt deceived since the dish starts off with "BBQ Duck..."--and I expected more duck pieces, not a small shrunken, very dry small piece of duck drumstick. :-( The wontons were ok and the soup was fine...but again, the take-out presentation was difficult to eat. The service was ok...but I also don't exactly know how to truly feel about it. They weren't specifically or especially rude, but something also felt not quite right. The prices are also on the high side. Again, we're out-of-towners so the chances of us finding ourselves eating here again is small...and if given the full choice, I would definitely make the effort to find someplace else. Wish I could say something better. read more

Came again to try their pho. I haven't ordered it it years because it used to be pretty meh. But with the improvements they've made to their other dishes, my hopes were high! I got the Pho with thin beef and meatballs. The broth was rich and flavorful, definitely claiming it's spot as best pho in Santa Cruz. Only complaint was the thin sliced beef was kinda tough because it was overcooked/ not thin enough. I'll be back here every time I'm craving pho and I'm staying local. read more

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Wanted a quick refreshing drink so I spotted by this small stop in Capitola. I really liked the tea but the jelly that was used was not my favorite and made the drink a bit bitter. Still a better option than other boba spots I have tried in the area. read more

Asian Express - Strawberry Tea with Jelly - Vietnamese Near Me - Capitola, California

The food came within 7 minutes and was pretty great in Santa Cruz. The chicken and tofu was a great combination for the spice level as well. I was pleased by the quick service! The interior is a bit crowded and looks a bit outdated inside as well dusty. read more

Asian Express - Chicken tofu noodle - Vietnamese Near Me - Capitola, California

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I go here about 1-3 times a month. I enjoy it, the prices are reasonable, the food is tasty. The staff is always friendly and welcoming.

Food - 2, service - 2, ambiance - takeout I tried this place for the first time because they said they had fresh taro for boba drinks and there was a Yelp promo for 50% off a drink. I also ordered the shrimp spring rolls. They denied the coupon, saying it wasn't supposed to be on Yelp. The shrimp rolls had very small shrimp and portion size seemed small for the cost. read more

Fresh, tasty, value. It doesn't get better than Asian Express whenever someone gets Chinese food from other places I recommend Asian Express because they are so delicious and kind employees read more

Asian Express - Beef and broccoli and chowmein - Vietnamese Near Me - Capitola, California

We got a Pho and a Bun Bo Hue. The pho was alright, definitely not the best I've ever had. The Bun Bo Hue was also decent, but kind of weird since they gave it to me with Pho noodles. The service was unorganized. We were never checked on. They forgot about my order so I had to walk up to the front to remind them. There were only 6 tables in the restaurant so I didn't feel like it was that busy, but it seemed like they were struggling to get things out. I got an avocado smoothie to go. That was pretty good. read more

Excellent customer service and my banh mi pork sandwich was fresh and delicious. Highly recommend the milk Boba tea too! read more

Asian Express - Boba - Vietnamese Near Me - Capitola, California

Best pho in Santa Cruz! Always really friendly and quick service, I love going on a chilly day bc it hits the spot

great food at good prices. i've had many of their drink flavors and have liked them all. this time i tried the almond milk tea with boba and enjoyed it. i also tried the pork and veggie báhn mì with tofu, both were so good!!! their combo entree comes with a main dish and a side and is a huge portion of food for a good price. read more

Asian Express - includes pork (maybe pork belly?), cucumber, carrot, daikon, cilantro, and teriyaki sauce on a soft roll - Vietnamese Near Me - Capitola, California

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Service was terrible. Cashier yelled at 2 separate customers while I was there. Food was mediocre

Counter service always pleasant and fast. My Favorite Pork Fried Rice of ALL TIME!!! My wife loves number #13. The Avocado Smoothie is delicious. A+ read more

This is our favorite Vietnamese restaurant and has been for nearly 10 years. We visit at least once a month. I have not order the shrimp egg rolls for a while although I crave for it! Today when I got it, I was so excited but, it was no longer full of taro, it was minced vegetables and maybe chopped up taro! I actually can't tell. I have 4 out of the five still in the box. Asian express please go back to your original recipe! read more

We were in the area for the weekend and we had no idea what to eat. We're not from around here but we knew we didn't want fast food since you can get that anywhere. We eat a lot of Asian food (specifically Vietnamese and Thai) so we decided to see if there was any Vietnamese food in the area. After a short Yelp search, we found Asian Express! It was pretty late in the afternoon so we didn't think there would be a lot of people, but we were wrong! When we got to the plaza, we were actually confused about which side of the building it was on since there were a lot of other businesses in the plaza, but it just turned out we were on the wrong side of the building. They're located next to a Yogurtland and a Starbucks. We didn't have an issue finding parking since the plaza has a lot of other businesses and I think there was even a mall in the same plaza. There was a large group of people ahead of us (about 6-7 people) and they were taking a little long to order because they were trying to figure out how to split the bill. But I have to give props to the young man that was working the register! He was SO PATIENT with them. He was also very patient with us when we asked questions about some of the menu items. One thing I want to mention is that the water is SELF-SERVE. Apparently, the large group ahead of us didn't know that and they kept calling the poor guy over to refill their water! I felt so bad for him, they were not very polite to him either! They kept calling him over and whistling at him like he was a dog. Poor guy. I hope they gave him a huge tip especially for the way they were treating him. But he was so nice and he had a very positive attitude even when it got really busy! We were honestly surprised by the pricing of the food. We're from the South Bay so we were surprised with the pricing was the same as other South Bay asian restaurants. But I definitely was not disappointed! I ordered the Basil Salt & Pepper Fish (which comes with rice) and it was delicious! Probably one of the best Salt & Pepper fish I've ever had! It was actually so good, I ordered another one just to bring home for my family to try! If we're ever in the area again, we'll definitely be back! I'm sure the next time we come back, we'll try some of the other menu items. read more